Time of Lonliness: Kyuseishu
by Inu-Angel Z
Summary: [AU][past KyuuNaru] It all started on his 8th birthday. First a disembodied voice started talking to him, then a strange girl claiming to be his only family left fell from the sky, literally squashing him. What’s this about, his daughter from the future!
1. Savoir's Arrival

_**Time of Loneliness: Kyuseishu**_

_**By: Li **_

**Summary**: It all started on his eighth (8th) birthday. First a disembodied voice started talking to him randomly in his head, then a strange girl claiming to be his only family left fell from the sky, literally squashing him. What's this? Daughter from the future?!

**Warnings**: Time travel in later chapters, OC(s?), sexual mentions, blood, nice Kyuubi-kun, shounen ai/yaoi, and general craziness

**Pairings**: (past)Kyuubi/Naruto/, Sasuke/Sakura, Chouji/Ayame (ramen girl), Naruto/Hinata , Naruto/OC (see A/N)

A/N: _Time of Loneliness: Kyuseishu_ has everything a good Naruto fic should have: a powerful Naruto (w/ family), Kyuubi being nice (kawaii chibi kitsune!), time-travel (in later chapters), and a healthy dose of shounen ai (with good pairings!). But since Naruto-san's eight at the beginning, nothing for a while.

-s-s-s-s-s-

_**Chapter One: Savior's Arrival**_

-s-s-s-s-s-

It all started on his eighth birthday, the day his cheerful and idiotic behavior was becoming more than it was supposed to be: a mask. It was also the day Konohagakure Village celebrated the Kyuubi no Kitsune's defeat and their beloved hero Yondaime Hokage's life achievements.

It was the day he hated most.

The eyes always became colder on October 10th as he walked past the festivals and parties. People drifted into silence and glared as he tried and failed to avoid others on crowded roads, using roof tops and back alleyways.

Sometimes he watched them, children his own age or younger smiling with the parents that refused to let them play with the 'demon child'. Once, only once, an adult had been kind enough to take him to a festival, albeit on a different day, as an uncle might have when his nephew's parents were away. But that man was now busy on missions with his ANBU team, and he didn't have time for Naruto anymore.

The families continued to laugh and enjoy each other's company, unaware of the envious gaze cast upon them. Their smiles seemed to mock him in his loneliness as the boy watched from atop a nearby building, smirking in a twistedly-happy way as darkness consumed more and more of his soul each day. It hurt, sometimes, yet Naruto just ignored it and pretended to be oblivious.

'_Why?_' he asked himself, expecting no answer. '_Why am I the one always alone and hated?_' Even at such a young age, the boy was aware.

'**Why do you think, brat?**' a deep voice growled from deep within his mind. '**It's because of me, you stupid human.**'

So startled by the voice, that the eight year old boy almost fell from his high perch in shock. Regaining his balance, Naruto thought angrily, '_Who the Hell are you? And why are you in my head?_'

The unknown voice growled and muttered something incomprehensible to humans before answering in annoyance, '**Who do you think, brat?**'

Naruto didn't answer and the unknown conscious just sighed deeply, murmuring about stupid humans and other offensive things under his breath. The boy waited patiently, unconsciously observing the kimono-clad civilians prancing around the booths below him, mesmerized by his fellow children's laughter and amusing attempts to make their parents/guardians laugh.

'**Fine, ningen, I'll explain,**' his mind's intruder muttered dejectedly. '**You know what the blasted Yondaime of yours is famous for, right?**'

'_Of course,_' Naruto answered, a feeling akin to the unknown (to him) emotion of pride swelling up in his chest. '_He defeated the Kyuubi no Kitsune, sacrificing his own life in the process. That's what the festivals today are for._'

The deep growling animalistic voice cackled, leaving the blond completely confused. '**Hahahaha! That idiot ningen leader defeat **_**me**_**, the most powerful Lord of Youkai? Brat, you have it **_**all**_** wrong.**'

Staring with fearful eyes out over the moonlit celebrations of an inaccurate accomplishment by the Village's former leader, Naruto stuttered inside his mind, '_Yo-you're th-the K-Kyuubi no Kitsune? What are you doing inside me?_'

The Kyuubi no Kitsune, Highest Lord of the Demon Realms and currently sealed in a little blond human (who he had to admit was extremely cute, even if the youkai would never say so to anyone) immediately sobered, still chuckling every so often.

'**I was sealed inside that (censored) Yondaime's kit, cursed blond human, and am stuck here until you decide to let me out (hint hint) or we ultimately fuse.**' The fire fox roared deeply, growling at the humiliating memories. Not only was his vessel pathetic, he was also the spawn of his sealer! How ironic, that the one once so beloved by Konoha had a son so hated by it's residents.

Stunned, Naruto's brain processed the information much slower than his usual sharpness. After a delayed reaction of shock as he almost fell from his perch once again; the blond regained his balance. '_Yon-yondaime is my o-outo-san?_'

The sealed demon '**Hn**'ed emotionlessly in reply, confirming the brat's question.

Naruto spent a few moments thinking this new development over. If he was the Fourth's son, why did the Villagers hate him so much? Sure, he had the demon that had killed so many inside him, but didn't him being the Hero's child warrant at least _civil_ behavior toward him?

His musings were heard by Kyuubi, who answered, '**From your memories, kid, it looks like they don't know. Stupid, idiot ningen... Want to kill them?**' The kitsune grinned insanely at the thought of slaughter within his own cell, plotting the deaths of various Konoha citizens he wanted revenge over. (Mostly blood and involving sharp objects, demonic jutsu, and him taking brief control.)

Foxes were usually sly, crafty creatures that avoided crowded areas and enjoyed pranking the insufferable humans to insanity. The Kyuubi wanted to kill instead of slowly making his victims slowly lose their minds, and though clever, was much more blunt and obvious than most of his kind. And you wonder how he was sealed by a human instead of tearing Konoha from existence!

'_NO!_' Naruto stated fiercely. As much as the Villagers had ridiculed and mistreated him, he was by no means homicidal. In fact, he would rather leave and find his own place in the world than stay here and await a chance for revenge. Even at the age of eight, he had grown tired of hate.

'**They treat you like crap, throw food at you, call you names, and force you to be alone, and you turn down the chance for revenge?**' growled the Kyuubi, forcing a small wave of red chakra out of the boy, alerting his ANBU watchers. '**What are you, a Saint? From what I've seen, and my own influence, you are anything but!**'

The ninja watchers appeared behind the boy, eyes grave and cold behind their animal masks. "Uzumaki Naruto," said one, face covering carved like a badger's, "please come with us."

Naruto furiously shook his head. Now that he knew about Kyuubi, he didn't trust the shinobi to not want their own revenge through assassination.

Their Captain, a brown haired, lithe woman with the face of a wolf stepped forward, hand on her katana in warning. "If you do not come with us peacefully, Uzumaki-san," came her muffled voice, "we shall be forced to use... other means." (He could just imagine her sadistic smile.)

Blue eyes wide, the boy startled the ANBU as he safely jumped from the high building and into the street, ignoring the yells he got from the celebrators, and ran.

-s-s-s-s-s-

Panting slightly, Naruto walked along the gardens of Konohagakure, at the moment deserted since everyone was at the festivities, and sighed. He'd lost the ANBU somewhere near his favorite ramen stand, with (he admitted grudgingly) his resident demon's help. At least the Kyuubi hadn't tried to force anymore youki out this time, instead advising diversion tactics that shouldn't have worked on the advanced guard.

Sighing lightly again, the eight year old crossed a random bridge and leaned against the railing in the middle, head on his arms as he stared at his unwavering reflection. Soulful blue eyes stared back at him even in the darkness, sun-bright hair messy with only his customary goggles to tame it, skin tanned and cheeks marred with three lines on each.

He supposed they resembled whiskers, or could've just been scars from an accident, but to him they were a reminder of the fox he now knew resided in his stomach. A loose black shirt covered his underfed form (he couldn't afford to eat too much), the strange orange spiral reminding him of the seal that kept the beast at bay, his black shorts and dark blue sandals standard. All-in-all, he looked like a normal boy his own age.

A bright light and ripple in the river interrupted his thoughts. In all but a moment, he felt a dead weight drop onto his smaller form from a decent height, the unknown person moaning.

Naruto twisted around to face the person that had just tackled him from the sky, only to end up with a face full of itchy hair. He couldn't see the person's face, but from the other body's shifting, he could tell it was a female. Was she a ninja or something, to fall from the sky? And why did she choose _him_ to land on?

The girl used shaky arms to hold herself up for a moment and blinked down at him, orbs clouded and body tense. She couldn't hold up her own weight for much longer, he knew; she seemed much too tired.

Before the anonymous girl once again collapsed on top of him, she stared down at him with the eyes he saw every day in the mirror: his soulful blue. Unable to dwell on the fact for long, Naruto heard her murmur in a slurred voice, "Narashi, what are you doing away from Suna?"

She was out cold before he could so much as ask what she meant.

-s-s-s-s-s-

A/N: Pairings, pairings. Well, from the Strange Girl's past to the Present's future, the pairings change (expect SasuSaku and ChouAya). I like NaruHina **and** KyuuNaru, and both pairings are in this fic. I may even decide to pair Naruto up with Hinata in the Present's future; not sure.


	2. A Future to Change

_**Chapter Two: A Future to Change**_

**Chapter Key**

Kitsune: Fox; usually a demon  
Musume(-chan): Daughter  
Ningen: human/Mortal  
Outo-sama: Lord Father  
Youkai: Demon

-s-s-s-s-s-

_The strange girl's future, and why she left..._

"Otou-sama, what was Papa's childhood like? He avoids the subject every time I bring it up," a young girl's voice asked a shadowed, red haired man. Said man was braiding his daughter's long, reddish blonde locks, and just sighed at the girl's questioning.

"I cannot say, my kit. Though there was a time your Papa and I hated one another with a passion." Upon the young one's startled glance as she turned back to face him, the red headed male just sighed, pulled the hair apart and started re-braiding it with deft fingers.

"Sou ka?" asked the girl, obediently sitting still.

"Hai, it's true, youngling. When I was sealed inside my koi's stomach, we resented one another." Sensing his child's confusion, the man continued, "He for the loneliness and pain my presence caused, and I for his place in restraining me to seek my revenge."

The daughter took her father's pause as a sight to ask another question. "Loneliness, Otou-sama? I've noticed that Papa isn't always happy when he's not with us or training his Uyoku friends. Why's that?"

Kyuubi no Kitsune, once the most feared demon in either the Ningen or Demon realms, winced as his daughter spoke of his once-human lover's Mortal offspring. As it was, Naruto, his light and love, hadn't always cared for the Immortal fox as he now did. The Uyoku were the decedents of his blonde and the long deceased Hyuuga Hinata and Uchiha Kyoko (Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura's child).

The right wing (Uyoku), as their last name translated means, became separated into two groups: those who carried the evolved Byakugan (now an icy blue) and those with the (modified) permanent Mangekyou sharingan.

(1) Hyuuga Hinata -- Uzumaki Naruto -- (2) Uchiha Kyoko  
(1) (3 children, 1 Male, 2 female) (2) (3C, 2M 1F)  
(1) Byugen Uyoku (2) Mange Uyoku  
(Byugen: Byukagen ; Mange: Mangekyou)

"Your Papa's loneliness come from being hated as a child. It was because of me, dear one. Now he has embraced his demonic roots and outlived his first lovers and friends by many a century." Kyuubi's cat-like eyes dulled as he remembered feeling his former vessel's pain of loss, all because of him.

Their daughter, the one he'd hoped wouldn't see the loneliness and pain she had, blinked up at him as her father's flawless fingers tied a red ribbon around the end of her braid. She smiled his lover's smile, with hair a mixture of both her parent's and eyes so much like Naruto's as a child: innocent with an underlying knowing; jewels of endless blue.

"Don't be sad, otou-sama! We're happy now, aren't we?"

Kyuubi looked up at the darkening sky over what had once been the Hidden Village Konohagakure, smiling slightly as she saw his ever-cheerful daughter staring at him from her crouching position by the open screen door. "So we are... so we are..."

"Outo-sama?" the girl asked tentatively, as the demon lord become lost in past memories.

"Hai, musume-chan?" Her father turned to her, pale skin almost glowing in the moonlight.

"When will Papa be home?" asked the bright redhead, staring innocently at him. Kyuubi sighed. She was so much like her other father...

"Around dusk," glancing up at the sky, "within the hour."

"Yay!" exclaimed Seishi of the newly founded (at her birth many years ago) Uzukyuu clan, smiling her Papa's famous fox grin.

The kitsune youkai knew that his daughter and lover loved to spend time '_bonding_'; more like playing random pranks on the Uyoku of both branches. At least the girl was like them both, inheriting Kyuubi's brains and reasoning as well as Naruto's stamina and unpredictable-ness as well as temper (though subdued) and nature to do seemingly foolish things.

The sliding paper door opened to admit one of the most beautiful adult men ever to grace the Earth; long blonde hair with orange roots and tips -much like Seishi's own- was pulled back at the nape of his neck as deep blue eyes, darker and with a purplish tint, stared out at you with their soulful depths. He was taller, though still shorter than the giant Kyuubi, and slimmer.

His lover, on the other hand, was sleek and slim, larger than Naruto in height and build, with flaming red hair and blood red eyes fiery enough to burn water with a glance. Kyuubi was surprisingly pale, as Naruto's natural tan only darkened as he aged, and seemed to glow compared to his lover.

"Hello, _minna_!" called Naruto, smiling at his demon family. He swung his black-sheathed katana from its usual resting place across his shoulders and spread his arms wide, awaiting his daughter's attack.

"Papa!" came the cry as Seishi, Kyuubi and the blonde's only living child, ran into her Papa's arms, hugging him tightly. She, like the old Naruto, was affectionate to everyone, but especially to her fathers and family.

"How was training, Papa?" the girl asked enthusiastically, settling in the elder's lap as he shifted into a comfortable sitting position.

Naruto fox-grinned. "Great, as always. Kyoko-chan and Arina-chan are getting the hang of Ryuu Ken's second kata. They miss you practicing with them, thought."

Their daughter pouted slightly as her Papa smiled and ruffled her hair, entwining his fingers in the loose strands where her braid began. "Got your Outo-sama to braid hair again, eh?"

Seishi nodded, smiling brightly up at him. "Hai, Papa!"

The two troublemakers talked of their Uyoku friends and many other things as Kyuubi silently watched, commented here and there, reveling in the feeling of family. Oh, how he wished this peace would last, even though he knew all too well it wouldn't.

-s-s-s-s-s-

A shadow crept down the hall, past an elaborately carved wooden screen partially open, silent as a cat as she made her way, stopping only when she could full hear the ones she wished to eavesdrop on.

"You haven't told her yet, have you." It was a statement, not a question. The voice was warm, soft spoken and held the presence of calmness many thought it never would; a parent's voice, or someone used to responsibility.

"No." A short, sharp answer from a deep rumble. This voice held underlying fire and a fierce, untamed wildness the other had managed to capture.

"Tomorrow, then?" Spoken seriously, emotionlessly by the warm one.

"So soon?" asked the other. The sound of shuffling papers as someone shifted.

A sigh. "No. You're right; tomorrow is fine."

"It's late." A deliberate change of subject.

Body shifting again; the rustle of silken sheets. "So it is."

A silent pause, the air slightly tense.

"Tomorrow then?" The fiery voice awaited confirmation.

"Hai." Yawning widely as stated in reply.

A smiling voice. "G'night, love."

Another yawn. "Oyasumi, Kyuu-koi." Again the rustling of sheets and shifting of forms as they made themselves comfortable.

Silence disturbed only by the slight snoring of one of the room's occupants.

The eavesdropper smiled to herself. Her parents were always like that; never fighting, just getting along in a practiced, tired manner. She hated seeing them like that: so weary and at the same time relaxed.

Yet she would change it all, Seishi had decided long ago. With her in the past, Papa could never be lonely or be hated by _everyone_.

As she stalked quietly away from her parent's bedroom door, little did she know that the end of their peace had just begun with an idea.

-s-s-s-s-s-

It took her years, but she finally perfected a draining jutsu that would make her sleep more than usual (ten hours!) after depleting her chakra and youki stores. But it was worth being vulnerable for a short time to have a place in her Papa's childhood and ease the loneliness. Maybe from afar, or maybe from his side, she didn't care; as long as her father knew love and family before any of his adventures began (how he became a gennin, for example), it was worth it, in her mind.

Using her custom-made kinjutsu of Time, Seishi smiled. Falling from the sky couldn't hurt that much, right? (Especially when she landed on a walking cushion.)

-s-s-s-s-s-


	3. Awaken to Love

_**Chapter Three: Awaken to Love**_

Kawaii ne!: So cuuute!  
Otou-sama: Lord Father  
Watashi wa doko desu ka?: Where am I?

-s-s-s-s-s-

_Back to the present..._

The next day dawned bright and clear as various ANBU and special jounin escorted what remained of the festival's drunken celebrators back to their homes. Naruto watched from his cracked window, shadowed by the dirty glass, and sighed. At least his most hated day was over and done with, only to come again in another twelve months.

He turned from the dreary window to gaze at the (quite heavy!) teenage girl sleeping on his rather small, shaky bed. She was draped across it's entirety, one arm pillowing her head, the other brushing the floor as she'd shifted to lay on her stomach.

The night before it had been too dark for Naruto to properly see her face or coloring. Now, in the mid-morning light, the female stranger seemed to glow.

Long hair, red at the roots and six or so inches at the end, with sunny yellow and orange in between, hung loose around her still form. Though the elder's eyes were closed , he knew they were the same eternal blue that stared back at him in the mirror every day. Her clothes and face, though, were what really puzzled him.

The girl's clothes, obviously well made for combat and stealthy use, were of no ninja quality he'd ever seen. Sure, she had a kunai and shuriken holster on her left leg (was she left handed or just weird?), but it was empty. And her pack, which he'd found a few feet away from where the stranger had landed (on him!), was heavy and locked with complex jutsu.

The teen's face, though pretty and finely boned with higher-than-normal cheek bones and full lips, had the oddest tattoos he'd ever seen, which was say something since he lived in a ninja Village with Clans that were as prodigious as they were weird. Her marks were as follows: two tear drops with small circles at the tipped ends on each cheek, blue and upwards on her right and a dark reddish-purple on the left.

Another thing that caused unneeded curiosity: her chocker necklace, pulled tightly around her thin neck by a black doubled-rope. A silvery circle of unknown metal engraved with the Uzumaki family spiral, encircled in a curved diamond hung from a hook of the same metal, glinting in the morning light. No one, as far as the eight year old knew, besides himself could claim his family's Symbol as their own.

Jumping slightly as the girl began to stir, Naruto turned to see sleep clouded bright blue eyes blinking curiously at him. "Eh? Papa? Otou-sama? Watashi wa doko desu ka?" she murmured quietly, staring around and a bit distressed that she recognized nothing.

Naruto just stared, only one question coming to mind at the moment, "Who are you?"

The stranger turned her searching gaze from the foreign room to the young speaker, blinking owlishly as she regarded him. "U-" She coughed purposefully, startling the other blonde, then began again. "Uyoku Seishi. And you are?"

Cautiously pausing, shifting nervously under the girl's guarded gaze, the eight year old replied, "Uzumaki Naruto."

Uyoku Seishi, the Girl-Who-Fell-From-The-Sky, stared blankly at him, before her eyes widened comically in delayed reaction. She continued to stare at him in untold shock for a few uncomfortable moments (not that the few past had been any better) before jumping up from his sunken bed and tackling the startled boy, yelling something illegible in a foreign language.

"Kawaii ne!" she whispered loudly in his ear, hugging his smaller form to her larger one as an affectionate relative might. "Nice to finally meet you, Uzumaki-kun!"

Naruto's face turned a bright shade of red, unused to being touched so easily and needing air as a purple color set in. Seishi released him, looking sheepish, as the sunshine child hacked a little before turning back to him natural complexion. Smiling brightly, the girl stared happily down at him, making Naruto nervous once again.

"Yeah... you too..." was his unenthusiastic answer. Seishi pouted slightly, an expression uncannily similar to his own (not that he looked in the mirror when pouting!).

"Who are you...?" he asked again, staring at the kneeling girl as he dusted himself off and stood. "And why did you fall from the sky?" he demanded, inwardly overcome with curiosity.

"Eh? I did?" the girl asked, rubbing the back of her head in confusion and embarrassment. Naruto only sweatdropped. "Well..." she continued thoughtfully, thinking aloud, "I guess the jutsu worked then!"

The blonde's eyes widened, not believing that this hyper girl could use chakra efficiently. "Are you a ninja?"

She blinked at him a moment before smiling enigmacally and replied, "Ninja? Well, you could say that..."

Naruto scrunched his face up in thought, arms folded, and raised an eyebrow. Did he even want to know? '_Is this girl crazy?_' he asked himself, coming up with no answer. Did it really matter if she was, though?

Seishi began to hum something to herself, rocking back and forth as she settled into a cross-legged position, seemingly unaware of her host's piercing gaze. "Hmhmm hmm hmhmm hmmmm!"

Suddenly, the kitsune carrier's thoughts were interrupted by his guest's growling stomach. He raised an eyebrow questioningly and she had the grace to blush, turning her gaze away in embarrassment.

Naruto sighed, looking a bit defeated. "You hungry?" Seishi nodded enthusiastically. "What d'you want?"

Looking thoughtful for a moment, the girl burst out smiling. "What ever you have, Uzumaki-kun!"

"Ramen!" Naruto shouted energetically, returning Seishi's 100 watt smile.

"The greatest food in the world!" exclaimed the blondes together. Glancing at one another in surprise, they exchanged fox grins.

"What flavor?" Naruto asked as they headed into the kitchen, checking his cabinets filled with packs of instant ramen. He was short for his age and needed a stool to reach up high. Seishi, unusually tall for a girl of seeming 16, reached up above his to for her favorite kind, ignoring Naruto's jealous scowl.

"Chicken!"

"Miso for me!"

She filled both containers with water, set the microwave, and they waited impatiently together for the three minutes it took to prepare. Slurping happily on her ramen, the steam from the cup tickling her nose in delight, she was unaware of her fell-ramen-lover's thoughts.

'_She's strange, but doesn't have cold eyes. In fact, she seems more at home here than I do._' He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, smiling slowly as he eat like not tomorrow. '_But it's nice. Maybe this is what family feels like..._'

In a distant future, more like a possible outcome in another dimension, two fathers searched high and low for their beloved daughter. They found no trace of her personally, yet an interesting self-made scroll remained, announcing her trip to another place, another time, and more importantly, to change another world.

-s-s-s-s-s-


	4. Walk, Don't Run

_**Chapter Four: Walk, Don't Run**_

Ero-sennin: perverted hermit (Jiraiya)  
Konohagakure: Hidden Village of the Leaf  
"Oieh!": Seishi's trademark exclamation when she's irritated.  
Sunagakure: Hidden Village of the Sand  
Watashi wa kitsune desu: I am a fox (spirit).

-s-s-s-s-s-

_Hokage's Office..._

"Hokage-sama," stated a worried dark haired man with a thin strip of clothe across his face, standing in his lord's office doorway.

"Yes?" the aged man asked, looking up from his piles of paperwork.

"The ANBU teams sent out have found the user of last night's burst of chakra. A messenger was sent to state her location." Glancing at the report he held again, the spiky haired man shifted nervously, sweating a bit.

"Hmm? Who was it, then? Any threat to Konoha?" Sarutobi asked calmly, though his mind was in turmoil. Just who had that amount of energy to use so blandly in this day and age of peace?

"Undetermined, sir." The guard gulped. "You won't believe this, Hokage-sama, but she is currently having breakfast with one... Uzumaki Naruto."

When the man looked up from his clip-boarded paper, Sandaime was gone in a puff of spoke.

-s-s-s-s-s-

_Naruto's Apartment..._

Currently, Naruto and Seishi had just sneezed in union over their thirteenth bowl of ramen. Rubbing his nose, the Kyuubi carrier glanced discretely up at the mysterious girl's smiling face before looking away a moment later. Though he was curious about who and what she really was, only knowing her name (and he wasn't even sure that was correct) and Seishi's love of ramen rivaled his own, he hadn't asked again.

Seishi was busily slurping her new miso ramen as Naruto waited the last two minutes for his before sniffing the contents, sighing in contentment and pondering whether or not to ask. Before his decision was made, though, Seishi spoke, slamming her bowl with unregistered force onto the table.

"Uzumaki-kun," she began seriously. Naruto gulped unconsciously. "Can I call you..." She was interrupted by the microwave's beeping, much to the younger's relief, though both sweatdropped a bit.

"Oieh!" Seishi moaned, leaning back in the blonde's rickety chair. "So troublesome!" Naruto had run off, intent on getting his new cup ramen (he always made two, just in case).

A knock at the door broke the girl's concentration, her tipping chair falling over with a loud **crash**. "Coming!" she called, nursing a bumped head that quickly healed as she saw Naruto rushing into the room, worried. She pointed to the door as the eight year old rushed away again, this time to open it, and placed the chair upright.

Seishi, as ditsy and baka-ish as she seemed, was anything but stupid and impulsive (well, maybe a little). She knew her arrival would cause suspicion, and she had chosen what to do: tell the truth. Well, _part_ of it to the Hokage and Naruto, anyway. To the villagers, she'd be Uzumaki Seishi, elder cousin to their resident '_demon child_', from somewhere discrete; she just wasn't sure where, yet.

'_Suna, maybe?_' Seishi questioned herself, and became lost in memories.

Sunagakure, Hidden Village of Sand, was one of the only nin towns lucky enough to have a demon Kazekage who loved it enough to protect it during the Youkai vs. Ningen second war. Narashi, Gaara's grandchild as well as Naruto's in her future, belonged there, and to Seishi he was more than a half nephew; more like a little brother.

Narashi looked just like his kitsune grandfather, and Seishi had mistaken an 8 year old Naruto for a younger future-Kazekage. It had been a common one, when the boy was younger. Now the resemblance only served to make her incredibly homesick.

Now the current leader of Konohagakure (her Papa's demolished home) the Sandaime Hokage was at her young father's doorstep, no doubt searching for the creator of the chakra surge. She could sense the ANBU keeping watch from a safe distance, letting their leader handle her.

'_What to do, what to do,_' thought Seishi, tapping her chin with a tanned finger.

She couldn't do anything as the aged, wrinkled man entered the room, only to see a young woman slurping on ramen noodles in the Kyuubi carrier often did. Sarutobi sweatdropped as he took the young boy's offered seat, said blonde pulling out a chair for himself.

"Ah!" Seishi sighed in satisfaction, putting the bowl and chopsticks down on the table neatly. Clapping her hands twice, the girl politely exclaimed, "Thank you for the wonderful meal!"

The Hokage cleared his throat, gaining the attention of both youths. The grandfatherly man then smiled, stating cheerfully, "Good to see you are in fine health, Naruto-kun. Who is your guest?"

Before the kitsune could answer, Seishi stated with a fox grin, "I'm Uyoku Seishi! My, you're just like Papa said you were! Is it true you're as perverted as the ero-sennin?" Sandaime had the grace to blush lightly, having a good idea who this person called '_ero-sennin_' was. The girl continued after a deep breathe, "Oh, yeah. Otou-sama regrets what he did to the Village, hai hai! Wished to send his deepest apologizes, and since he's not here, I'll inform you for him!"

Naruto was silent, a bit confused by her babbling, as Sarutobi stared at her in curious surprise. All he got from reading her chakra patterns was good intentions, love of various things, a slight sadness covered up quite well, but overall an unwavering determination for doing the right thing. The _type_ of chakra she had, however, was another story.

"What are you, then, Uyoku-san?"

Seishi continued to smile as she replied, "Watashi wa kitsune desu."

Having his hunch confirmed, the Hokage asked again, "Just _who are you_? And do you intend to harm the Village as Kyuubi did eight years ago?"

The girl blinked before replying childishly, "What Otou-sama did? Nah! Papa wouldn't let either of us do such a thing. Not that we'd want to, anymore in his case, mind you!"

"Otou-sama? Papa?" Naruto whispered questioningly, staring at his guest with wide eyes. The demon sealed inside him... was her father?

Seishi turned to him, smiling happily. "Hai! Otou-sama is Kyuubi no Kitsune and Papa is Uzumaki Naruto-san! Konnichiwa, younger version of Papa!"

Speechless, her supposed father gaped as the Sandaime stuttered, "I-impossible!"

The kitsune youkai shook her head, expression turned serious. "His daughter I am, yes. Just look in Ara-jii-san's journals if you don't believe me! Besides, it wasn't Otou-sama's fault. That stupid snake-man Oro-chan tricked him!"

"Snake? Oro-" the Village leader started urgently.

He was interupted as Naruto cut in, "If I'm your Papa, that makes you... my daughter?" The blonde gulped, staring at her with an unreadable expression, inwardly extremely nervous.

Seishi shook her head, smiling at the confused boy. "Nope! That's just a possible timeline. Besides, my presence here created a paradox, so this is a whole new dimension! Cool, ne?"

"What jutsu did you use?" asked Naruto, sitting at the edge of his seat cutely as Sandaime listened in interest.

Seishi just smiled enigmacally and gladly answered, "A space/time one I created myself!" At the two male's shocked looks, she only giggled.

"EH?" exclaimed the kitsune carrier, blue orbs as wide as dinner plates.

His supposed daughter only smiled. "Yup yup! All original. It can travel dimensions, too, but takes up a lot of chakra and knocked out my reserves, leaving me vulnerable for a set amount of time."

"Why did you come?" Sarutobi asked, taking a puff from his pipe.

The girl only smiled sadly. "So Papa wouldn't have a lonely childhood, among my other reasons. I just want one of his dimensional selves to be happy growing up."

'_Such a devoted daughter,_' the Hokage thought, staring at her in silence. Naruto gazed at her in wonder, amazed that anyone (even his own daughter, by another self, which confused him to no end) would go through so much trouble to ensure his happiness.

After a moment of silence, Naruto was the first to speak.

Voice dangerously calm, the blonde began, "So... your telling me that you created a draining jutsu to come here, created a paradox and destroyed a timeline, all so I wouldn't be lonely?"

Seishi just smiled, humming to herself, and stated an affirmative answer.

Taking his future teacher and friend Iruka's example, he pulled a 180 from his usual cheerful self and yelled, "You _IDIOT_!"

But before the eight year old could continue his rant on Seishi's behavior, said girl muttered to herself, "You sound like Otou-sama and Natsu-nii-san, Naruto-kun..."

Starting abruptly, the young boy blushed in embarassment, turning his face the other way. Only Sandaime-jii-san and Iruka-sensei called him Naruto-kun without malice or dangerous sweetness willingly, and he wasn't used to people being so casually friendly with him.

"Natsu-nii-san?" questioned the Sandaime. Had she more half-breed siblings from her Naruto and the Kyuubi?

Seishi just smiled obliviously, though she knew to tread carefully around the subject of the future. "Yup yup," she stated in a hyper, Naruto-like voice and explained, "Natsu-nii-san married Ranku-nee-chan of the Mange Uyoku and had Narashi-kun. They live in Suna!"

Hokage-sama stared at her for a moment, mentally sighing. It seemed her answers only brought more questions to mind. "Why would Naruto-kun's-" He glanced at the still blushing boy staring at his ramen bowl. It was hard to imagine the Yondaime's legacy a father at the moment. "-decedents live in Hidden Sand?"

Seishi waved her finger back and forth, shaking her head 'no'. "Un un un, Sandaime-jii-jii. I can't go telling you the future, now can I? Besides, my presence has already changed things."

There were so many things she wanted desperately to tell him of her time, from her Uncle Uchiha Itachi and Sasuke's cursed fates to the old man's grandson, Konohamaru's, achievements. But that would risk a future she was desperate to change, and her coming to the past wasn't just so her young Papa wouldn't grow up weary and wary. Much more importantly (not to her, to the timeline she'd grown to dislike at an early age from her parents' and others' stories) to change were resting on her willing shoulders.

The Sandaime sighed and stated jokingly, "You can't blame and old man for trying, now can you?"

Seishi just chuckled and winked. "Nah, you can't. But don't worry; just trust me to change things for the better. If I ever need help, I'll just ask!" She smiled at the aged man, who did so in return.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Sandaime-jii-san," she commented, grabbing her and the blankly staring Naruto's empty cup ramen as she stood.

"How far in the future from now do you come?" asked Sarutobi curiously as Seishi threw away the trash she held and began to make two more instant ramen bowls.

Looking thoughtful for a moment, the female kitsune answered with a smile, "Around 500 human years or so, give or take a few decades."

Both males stared openly, the younger stopping with noodles midway to his mouth to gape.

Naruto, surprisingly, was the first to overcome his shock. "I'm alive five hundred years in the future? What am I, immortal?"

Seishi's face darkened, blue eyes identical to his own turning deepest blue bordering violet. "All of our kind live forever, in some form or another, Naruto-kun. Whether physical, spiritual or bound to nature, all of us are always very much alive."

'**True,**' rumbled a deep voice within Naruto, forcefully manifesting itself with burning red youki in the form of a... cute little fox kit? (Scary in it's cuteness, I suppose.)

Seishi squealed in delight, but not because of Kyuubi's stuffed animal-like appearance, but because she'd missed him, "Otou-sama!" Hugging her second father tightly, without getting burned by the demonic chakra, said demon would've had trouble breathing if his form was physical.

"**Bah! Let me go, child! You are acting too much like that baka brat.**" Seishi released him, smiling, and ignored Naruto's protesting at being called a baka brat. "**And I cannot believe my future self regrets anything. It is this place's fault that-**"

His daughter interupted him with a scolding tone. "He is not here anymore, Otou-sama! Don't take it out on people who have nothing to do with what happened nine years ago (here)!"

Kyuubi growled, baring his chakra fangs in anger. "**This place spawned that bastard! No kit of mine-**"

He was once again interupted, and the girl's tone was now icy, surprising all three males. "Do not dare finish that sentence, oh great and mighty **Kyuubi-sama**." She spat the title and continued, head bowed and voice softly fierce, "It hurts to see you like this, you know. Is your anger, your rage, so blinding that you would go against your responsibilities, honor, and ideals and harm innocent people once again?"

Eyes turning a glowing red much darker than her fellow fox demon's, with subtle hints of purple around the edges, Seishi raised her head and her tone became cutting, "Do not blame those with no current connection to the ningen who destroyed our Clan. No father of mine," she paused, glaring, "is so dense as to assume his daughter is an immature imbeciles unable -or unwilling- to defend her family's home!

"No matter how much you hate them, fear the snakes no more!"

Then there was only silence, and an unbroken glaring contest between a father and daughter demon pair.

-s-s-s-s-s-


	5. Why do you ask?

_**Chapter Five: Why do you ask?**_

Taiyoukai: Demon Lord

-s-s-s-s-s-

_Naruto's Apartment…_

The room was silent.

Seishi continued after a moment's pause. "He won't just appear out of nowhere after leaving years ago, Otou-sama. Forget, if you will, for the moment."

Kyuubi looked down, ears drooping slightly, as he remained silent. The two human males watched quietly with interest, not daring to interrupt the arguing demons.

"**I cannot**," was the taiyoukai's murmured answer.

Seishi's once fierce face broke out into a bright smile, startling her future father. "Wait a few years, then. You'll get your chance at revenge soon enough, if you hold your old patience." They exchanged predatorily grins, and Naruto shivered in suppressed fear; Sandaime too was nervous, though he hid it well.

"**I must return, now,**" Kyuubi stated, bowing to his daughter as she just smiled from her seat (his youki form was sitting on the kitchen table). "**It is good to know I still have family.**"

Before the red cloud of chakra disappeared completely into a startled blonde's stomach, Seishi addressed it, "The snake... does not always get it's prey. I am living proof of that, Otou-sama."

Kyuubi rumbled something similar to a purr and returned to his prison within Naruto, pondering the meaning of his 'daughter's' words.

"You are a kitsune, correct?" asked Sandaime Hokage as soon as he was sure the demon fox was gone.

Seishi turned to him, face confused and eyes filled with an underlying happiness at seeing her father again, albeit a younger version of him. "Yes. Why do you ask?"

The Hokage's expression turned serious as Naruto watched, uneasy and nervous. So, he would have a daughter... with a **male** demon. Or, as she'd created a paradox and this dimension had branched from her own, would have had if said daughter hadn't come back using a self-made kinjutsu. It would take a while to get used to having family; he'd never experienced it before, after all. At least he had examples to follow, from years of watching happy couples and their children... occasionally, of course.

"The Village is still recovering from Kyuubi's attack, even after all these years of rebuilding. I doubt they would welcome a kitsune demon willingly, let alone one related to their attacker," explained Sarutobi, face grave.

Seishi just smiled fox-like, eyes twinkling in mischief, still one step ahead. "Simple. Tell them I'm a relative you tracked down; a wanderer would be most believable. I'll join as a Leaf shinobi and protect Naruto-kun."

His daughter smiled fondly at him, a hint of sadness only one who understood could see clearly. "If that's all right with you, of course. I would like to see my Papa have a happy childhood, as I said earlier."

Naruto blushed brightly and nodded shyly in embarassment, wanting what she offered so casually very much. To have a family that loved him was a dream he thought would never happen...

Sarutobi gazed warmly at the two, eyes those of a grandfather gazing upon his favorite grandchildren. "I will need more information than that, Uyoku-san. Shall I send someone over later or-"

Seishi interupted him, pulling out a chipboard from empty air. "Ask away, and all will be recorded on this paper. I think it's the standard issue from your office." She handed the paper over, and the Hokage nodded affirmative, confused and eyebrows narrowed.

"How?" Sarutobi asked, a bit amazed. Naruto felt the same.

She gave a cheeky grin. "Kitsune magic, of course!"

Sandaime chuckled, not bothering to ask. "Let's begin," the elder man began in a business-like voice.

((Script version for the moment))

Sei-Seishi - SH-Sandaime Hokage - Naru-Naruto

SH: Your name?

Sei: Uzukyuu Seishi, truly, but since I'm staying here, Uzumaki Seishi.

SH: Home Village? Or former place of residence?

Sei: -smile thoughtfully- Right Wing of the Center, Celestial Section from Papa's place. It would be unknown here, so please classify me as wanderer.

SH: -sweatdrop in confusion- Age?

Sei: -Humming thoughtfully- 362 in human years, I'd say. I guess I look sixteen here, so put that down, all right?

Naru: -interrupting- Wait, if your that old, how old is this future me?

Sei: -happy, oblivious grin- 538 the time I left, and your birthday was coming up.

Naru: -stunned to silence-

SH: -unbelieving- All right, then... Level of skill?

Sei: -blinking in confusion- Eh?

SH: -sigh- Jounin, chunin, gennin?

Sei: Oh, that ninja rank stuff... -muttering- I can spar with Papa and Outo-sama, so that would make me a level 12 Taiyoukai (demon lord)... -regular voice- Jounin here, I think, if you don't mind.

SH: -slight eye rub behind his glasses, 'cause he knows a headache's coming on- I'll grant you high chunin, if you do not mind going off on missions as an unofficial jounin.

Sei: -smile and stirring ramen- Sure, Sandaime-san. I haven't been on any interesting missions in quite a while! Papa refused to let me go with him on any because he said they were too '_scary_' or '_dangerous_'.

Naru: -serious, hard toned interjection- I'd do the same! Better to protect your family than risk their safety!

Sei: -nod and stare intently at Naruto- Your future self protects myself and my half blood family just fine. Now it's _my_ turn to protect _you_.

Naru: -stunned, wide eyed silence, looking a bit overwhelmed-

((end script))

"I'll start your mission history at 0 all areas. We'll have to test your skills, how I don't know..." Sarutobi sighed, staring down at the clipboard in his hands. How to test a demon on human shinobi skills?

Seishi just smiled and stated, "No need! I have a better way that was invented somewhere in my time." Pricking her finger with her opposite hand's claw, startling Naruto and the Hokage, she dripped a bit of blood on the fox-magic paper. The blood became red ink, filling out most blank spaces on the page, save the one labeled **FAMILY**.

"Use your imagination there," she pointed to the only place with no writing, licking her finger, which quickly healed itself. "That should be about it, I think."

"Your appearance, though..." the Sandaime began, glancing at her demonic attributes.

Seishi interupted with a smile. "Hai hai! I'll just do a blood genjutsu!" From somewhere within her odd style of clothing, she pulled out a perfectly intact leaf and placed it on her forehead, dropping a bit of blood from her reopened wound.

"_**Illusion: Kitsune to Ningen!**_"

Seishi's body stayed the same, though some other things changed: same blonde hair, now with the red mixed in; blue eyes with no slits but normal pupils; no claws, fangs or tails, though her tattoos stayed the same on lightly tanned skin. She was a very pretty girl, too.

"Better, Sandaime-san?" Seishi asked with a smile.

The Hokage nodded, hiding his bloody nose, as Icha Icha Paradise-worthy thoughts raised through the Village leader's head. What an interesting girl she was, this new guardian of Naruto-kun's...

-s-s-s-s-s-


	6. Hi, Call me crazy

_**Chapter Six: Hi. Call me crazy.**_

-s-s-s-s-s-

_Naruto's Apartment…_

As soon as the Hokage's presence had left the house completely, and the ANBU watching retreated, Naruto turned to face his new guardian, who had begun to clear away the piles of discarded cup ramen.

"How was it possible?" he asked, expression twisted in confusion. The blonde swung his legs against the chair he sat on absently, an old habit from playing at the swings he loved so much. (It felt like he was flying!) "It should be impossible."

Seishi stopped her work with a clatter, looking up from her place by the garbage can now stuff with age-old trash. "Eh? Something you need, Naruto-kun?"

The boy furiously shook his head and gathered the courage to ask his question more bluntly. "How is it possible that you are my... child... if Kyuubi -slight wince- and I are both **males**?"

The girl stared blankly at him for a moment, then began to giggle at the boy's ignorance. "Simple, really: demons can change their gender at will. Even Halflings like me can, though I myself prefer female. It's much easier, with my personality."

Naruto stared at her for a few moments, letting the new information process, then his eyes widened and the blonde began to stutter. "I-you-he-female-"

Seishi giggled again and went to finish her cleaning of the kitchen, letting the younger version of her father work over his apparent shock.

So began the new, not-so-ordinary life of one Uzumaki Naruto and his daughter/guardian from a different world, (Uzukyuu) Uzumaki Seishi.

-s-s-s-s-s-

The next few months were uneventful. At least, to the demon child, who'd grown used to the villager's anger and spite. Seishi, on the other hand, found a 'discrete' way to get back at the '_disrespectful ningen with serious problems_', as the girl called them in Naruto's presence. It became a hobby and bonding time for them. Put simply, they shared the same passion.

Pranks.

The Leaf nin soon became used to the pleasant, hardworking Seishi, who most knew only as the Kyuubi brat's guardian and a good teammate. She had the reputation as a good shinobi, since no one of her mission teams ever was left behind, or killed. Her fellow higher level chunin, however, where quite surprised when the sixteen year old appealed to the Hokage for a transfer from active service to a part time teacher at the Academy (she still had unofficial solo jounin missions).

A startled Sarutobi approved the girl's request, and she was sent as a student teacher under one Iruka-sensei. He also knew Seishi from her reputation and welcomed her gladly, happy that someone now took care of Naruto full time.

Two weeks after joining the Academy sensei's ranks (as a substitute and helper), Seishi came to a much thought-out decision and brought up the subject after completing a single-person A-rank mission for the Hokage.

"I'll be gone most of the time now, Hokage-sama. I can't just leave Naruto-kun home alone, you know. Who knows what the Villagers could do, even with the wards I set up?" Seishi asked her superior seriously, which he now knew to be a rare thing with the hyperactive girl.

"I have some idea, Uzumaki-san." Even thought it wasn't her real last name, Sarutobi had taken the habit of calling her that in both public and private. "ANBU guards are out of the question, though. I dare say most of the ranks detest Naruto-kun and would go after him even if my orders said otherwise."

"What do you suggest, then?"

"Truly," Sandaime sighed, head placed wearily on his wrinkled hands, "I have no idea."

Seishi's piercing blue gaze bored into him, and if the Third wasn't mistaken, was there a hint of violet at the edge of her pupils? She surveyed him for a few moments of uncomfortable silence before looking away and over her lord's shoulder at the wall of past Hokage picture.

"I'll be at the Academy when not on critical missions you assign me, and I know Iruka-san doesn't see Naruto-kun as Otou-sama," the girl stated levelly, turning her gaze back to the Sandaime. "I wish to enroll my ward in the Ninja Academy. It would be good for him to learn to defend himself a bit early, with all the people after what's inside him."

Sarutobi closed his eyes in thought, hands gripped tightly together as he tried to come to a decision. "What will be needed?" he asked softly.

Seishi just nodded curtly and answered, "I know jutsu that shall hide him from dangerous strangers within the Village limits, but he'll need a medium on his body at all times so I can focus. And if he's at the Academy, Iruka-san and I can watch him while I ready the artifact."

Sighing, the man once again looked up. "I'll leave that to you. Naruto-kun shall join the Academy two years early on my orders, assigned to your class for now." Sandaime nodded in a dismissal, staring at his paperwork, lost in thought, and didn't notice the girl still there.

"Arigatou, Hokage-sama! Now I don't have to tell that ANBU who follows me where those Icha Icha Paradise limited edition books of yours are. I think he's just a perverted as you are, too!" Seishi puffed out, leaving a stunned Hokage, unaware that blackmailing the Village leader was a criminal offence.

Somewhere not so far away, a white haired ANBU captain with a dog mask sneezed into his bright orange book. Sitting on a rooftop over looking a low standard apartment building. He rubbed his nose through the wood, and went back to reading his pr0n, a faint blush coloring his cheeks under two layers of face coverings.

Asleep on the bed being watched by the wayward jounin, Naruto snored peacefully, unaware that his life was about to change once again.

-s-s-s-s-s-


	7. Visitors Like Tea

_**Chapter Seven: Visitors like tea.**_

-s-s-s-s-s-

_Uzumaki Household…_

Iruka stood in front of the Uzumaki home (a two story house Naruto and Seishi had moved into just the week before), straightening his chunin uniform nervously. He knew he shouldn't be so apprehensive, since Seishi-san was his student teacher and a friend, but he was here for no ordinary visit.

It was required of all Academy instructors to meet a student to enter the Ninja training center early personally, and since his good friend had recommended him as a teacher for her ward, Iruka found himself at the front door of the Kyuubi carrier's house.

As Iruka drew up his ninja courage, set his jaw and raised his hand to knock, the door was opened by his female friend Seishi. Ready to speak, the man was thrown a bit off balance when she shouted over her shoulder.

"I told you! Iruka-san is coming, and since we've already eaten lunch, don't you _dare _ask him-" The annoyed young woman was cut off from whining behind her.

"But Sei-nee-chan! I want ramen!" the unmistakable voice of one Uzumaki Naruto said. His instructor could practically see the blonde pouting and using his infamous Lost-Puppy eyes on Seishi, which he'd perfected over the years.

However, it seemed to have no effected on the beggar's caretaker. "I said no. No means no, Naruto-kun. Now, Iruka is supposed to be here any minute, so-" She turned around, now facing her slightly-smiling senpai, and flushed a bit as she glanced down.

"Or now," she muttered, though Iruka heard her. Looking up and smiling blindingly, his reddish blonde haired friend ushered him in politely, an almost total 180 from what she'd acted like a few moments earlier.

"Come in, Iruka-san! Naruto's waiting in the kitchen," she raised her voice a bit, hinting to younger blonde, "with tea."

"Thank you, Seishi-san, though I'm here on business, not to visit." Iruka followed her to the spacious kitchen decorated stylishly, a step up from Naruto's former one-bedroom apartment.

"Yes, I know, senpai. I've been told guests like tea, though," replied the girl, steering her friend toward a 6-seating table.

Taking a seat herself, the scarred dolphin named man pulling out a chair across from Seishi, putting a case of paper work for the guardian to fill out on the oaken wood. Before Iruka could started business, though, the blonde called out, clapping her hands loudly, "Naruto-kun! He's here!"

In raced the hyperactive blonde as Iruka had never seen him before. Gone were the patched black pants, torn dark orange T-shirt with a spiral design, and second hand sandals. Naruto now wore a bright orange jumpsuit, baggy on his once unnaturally thin form (now healthier and with more muscle), the top open to reveal and expensive-looking comfortable black undershirt. His sandals, blue as the trim of his jumpsuit, seemed custom made and only a bit worn.

"**IRUKA-SENSEI!**" shouted the soon-to-be ninja-in-training boy, tackling his mentor in a bear-hug.

The black haired man, stunned to silence, unconsciously hugged the clinging blonde back, one thought racing threw his mind, '_Orange... Bright, blinding orange... And he's going to be a ninja?_' Orange said 'Please kill me' to all those who saw it, especially the hideous color on Naruto's clothes.

"I know. You noticed his wardrobe change, ne?" asked Seishi, who'd gotten the tea trey while the males were otherwise occupied, and took her seat from Iruka again.

"Yeah..." Did she realize just how stupid it was for the boy to stand out so much? Shinobi used stealth; a ninja of her capability must understand the importance of going unnoticed.

Or so Iruka thought.

Seishi smiled, poring her self a cup of green tea and taking a sip. "Orange is such a nice color, don't you think? Another thing Naruto-kun and I share a love of, surprisingly."

Iruka sweatdropped, a vein popping open on his head, as he tried to keep his cool. "Maybe so... Now, about the Academy..."

"Oh, yeah. You have the files I need to fill out, right?" The scarred male nodded, his blonde 'otouto' clinging to him still. "Good."

Seishi excepted the brown folder her senpai handed her, reading over each paper carefully, expression serious, before filling out the necessary information. It took her a total of twenty minutes, in which time Naruto was chattering off as Iruka listened with interest and the tea disappeared.

Signing the final form with a flourish, Seishi sighed. "I really do wonder how Sandaime-san can stand doing paper work all day. Thank Kami-san I'm never going to be Hokage.." she muttered to herself.

"No, _I'm_ gunna be Hokage and _you'll_ be doing all the paperwork and boring stuff for me!" said Naruto confidently, causing the elder male to smile.

The elder female mock scowled. "No, I won't. You'll have to higher your own assistants, hun, while I go on missions."

"Hmph." The blonde crossed his arms, turning away, as he squinted his eyes and pouted his lower lip.

Seishi just grinned widely. "And all the missions will be stopping the evil plotters who want to destroy our wonderful ramen!"

Naruto stuck his tongue out at her. "Nuh-uh. While I'm on ramen-rescuing missions, you can do the paperwork! I'll be Hokage, so _I_ choose the missions!"

"Why you-"

The blondes then proceeded to chace each other around the kitchen, until Seishi caught up to the Kyuubi carrier and tickle-attacked him into begging for mercy. Iruka chuckled at the younger two's antics, glad the one he considered his younger brother had full time family.

-s-s-s-s-s-

_Later, outside…_

"Thank you for visiting, Iruka-san. Come anytime," said Seishi politely, looking a bit rustled from her playing with Naruto.

"See you next week in class, Iruka-sensei. Take me out to ramen afterwards, ok?" said Naruto, the worse for wear. The blonde had been at a disadvantage as his guardian was older, stronger, and a better statistic mind whilst they were wrestling and chasing each other around the entirety of the house.

Seishi hit her ward atop the head, gazing scolding down at him. "I told you not to ask! I'm taking you out to Ichiraku tomorrow, remember?"

"Yeah, but tomorrow and next week are two different days, 'nee-chan!" argued the ramen lover, pouting slightly.

"Fine, fine," the girl let up with a sigh, smiling apologetically at Iruka. "I'll treat you'll come with us after Naruto-kun's first day of classes, senpai. Care to join us then?"

Startled, Iruka protested. "Oh, no, I don't want to impose-"

Seishi's giggled stopped him and her comment made him blush. "How humble of you, Iruka-san. Really, though, 'totou-kun here see you as family, so there for you are as good as a brother. And in our family, you'll have to have ramen when we do!"

"Uh... alright," Iruka accepted, staring at his student teacher. He was part of her family, just because Naruto saw him as a brother...?

"Yay! You'll have to come over for dinner too, sometime, Iruka-sensei!" shouted Naruto enthusiastically, smiling brightly up at his new teacher. "Then we can hang out and you can teach me some cool ninja tricks!"

"Naruto-kun., your just starting the Academy. Be patient and you'll learn all you want," said Seishi, saving her mentor a bit of embarassment. "No special treatment in class too, just 'cause your our little brother, 'k?"

Iruka nodded in agreement.

The eight year old pouted. "Fine. But you'll have to tutor me extra to make up for it."

"Iruka-san?" Seishi raised an eyebrow questioningly.

The Academy teacher nodded. "A bit, but not so you're too far ahead of the rest of the class."

"Yippee! Your the best, 'nee-chan, Iruka-sensei!" He hugged both of his teachers, dancing happily in circles.

"Wait for your lessons, Naruto-kun. You may not be so happy then..." The girl and Iruka's traded smiles were none too reassuring.

"I can take anything you dish out," he said confidently, inside a little creped out. Kyuubi agreed, sending his comments about demons and learning.

Seishi suddenly smiled and leaned closer to her charge, whispering in his ear, "Naruto-kun, there's ramen in the fridge if your hungry. Go ahead and eat all you want."

Naruto smiled brightly and nodded, racing off as his 'nee-chan turned to Iruka with a serious expression. The scarred male, who knew Seishi's moods well enough, turned serious as well, a bit curious.

"Hokage-sama has no doubt told you of Naruto-kun's discovery of Kyuubi, correct?" asked the demon in human form.

Iruka's jaw tightened, black eyes turning cold. "Yes."

"He has not, I think, told you of a bargain between the Kyuubi, Naruto and myself..." Seishi trailed off, gauging from her friend's expression she was correct. "The demon fox had his reasons for attacking Konoha, which are now a S-class secret."

Seishi paused and took a deep breathe, thankful for Iruka's waiting silence. "He has... agreed to leave Konoha be for the time being and stop trying to take over 'totou-kun's body, in exchange for the right to teach him kitsune skills..."

"And you?" asked the listener emotionlessly.

She paused, smiling slightly, eyes guarded. "I... will shield Naruto from the influence of prejudice ningen, as he called them. And..." she paused again, "will protect my brother and I if someone releases him, for my first born child..."

"WHAT!" Iruka yelled in surprise, cheeks a bit pink from embarrassment and rage, as he stared at the blank faced girl in disbelief.

After a brief moment of staring into the black haired man's gaping face, Seishi couldn't hold in her laughter any longer. Her burst of hysteria caused Iruka to stare blankly at the girl in confusion as if she'd lost her last shred of sanity, which it probably seemed like to him.

"Just-laugh-kid-chuckle-ding," Seishi gasped, leaning against the doorframe for support.

"Eh?" said Iruka intelligently, not understanding.

"Just kidding," she finally managed after a few needed seconds of calming herself. "All Kyuubi-san wanted was protection for his vessel from me, until he can take care of himself."

"Why you, though?" asked Iruka.

"From what I understand," Seishi explained, back to a serious mood, "kitsune have some type of... bond with those of their blood, that can be activated a number of ways. Since I am 'totou-san's cousin by blood and sister my emotion, the Protection part is naturally activated. As long as I'm within a 15 mile radius of Naruto-kun, no one who wishes him harm can attack him."

"Oh." The black haired man thought it over, though all his pondering did was cause a vague headache Seishi somehow sensed.

"You'd better go home, Iruka-san, it's getting late."

The addressed nodded absently and turned away, wandering down the path with a distracted yet polite goodbye. "See you soon, Iru-kun!" Seishi called.

"Hai, Sei-chan," Iruka called back absently, too tired to notice the familair nicknames he'd be embarrassed about the next day.

"Bye for now, Iruka-san. Thank you for being kind to Papa in a place I didn't exist," said a girl to the night air before closing her home's door, going back inside to her sergeant, ramen-loving brother.

-s-s-s-s-s-


	8. Intermission: Awkward Questions

_**Time of Lonliness: Kyuseishu**_

_**By: Li **_

**Summary**: Interlude: Narashi, Seishi's nephew and Naruto's grandchild, starts to ask his grandfather a few... uncomfortable questions concerning himself and one Kyuubi no Kitsune...

**Warnings**: Time travel, OC(s), sexual mentions, blood, nice Kyuubi-kun, shounen ai/yaoi, and general craziness

**Main Pairings**: Naruto/Kyuubi, Gaara/Shukaku, mentioned Sasuke/Sakura, Naruto/Hinata, Naruto/OC

-s-s-s-s-s-

_**Interlude One: Awkward Questions**_

-s-s-s-s-s-

Keywords

Otou-sama: Lord Father

Kitsune: Fox

Oka-sama: Lady Mother

Uzumaki Naruto, founder of the Uyoku Clan, spent 200 or so years with his human decedents of both Mange and Byagen branches. He loved all his Mortal children, whom resembled their respective female ancestors more so than himself. All had dark hair, for instance.

But every five years, sometimes sooner, there was a week set aside without visiting his human children, but with his _demon_ family. Mainly Gaara, Shukaku, their children and mutual grandchild Narashi. Kyuubi and Seishi also came along, since it was a demon family reunion in the last remaining shinobi Village, Suna.

Narashi looked exactly like his blonde grandfather (Gaara and Shukaku's son had married Naruto and Uchiha Ryoko's youngest daughter, a half-demon in her own right), and had a very curious personality. He also looked forward to the family visits. Recently, though, Narashi had turned the demon age of 8 and been give the Talk.

When Naruto, Kyuubi, and Seishi came in a large caravan, just like previous times, the young blonde couldn't help but notice that Sei-nee-chan was the only 'flower' among them. Shukaku had called herself a flower, and pointed out ways for him to tell body wise, but hadn't explained how two people like himself and Grandpa Gaara could make his Aunty.

As soon as the older demons were settled, Narashi came charging in and into Naruto's lap. The blondes both smile, and the elder ruffled his grandchild's hair as the younger snuggled. Seishi barely covered the giggle Shukaku couldn't. Kyuubi and Gaara remained outwardly impassive, as was their nature.

"Granddad Naruto," Narashi said tentatively, staring at the oh-so-interesting wall beyond the address' shoulder. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, Nara-chan," replied Naruto calmly.

Even for such a curious and reckless boy, the hanyou had also learned caution. He knew some questions made others uncomfortable or, worse, angry. He was only a child, however, and wanted to know badly.

He did deny his curiosity a moment longer. "You might get upset, though."

Naruto exchanged a glance with Kyuubi, then Gaara and Shukaku. No one held a clue in their gaze, but his daughter seemed to know something, if her laughter was to judge.

"You can ask me anything, Nara-chan," said Naruto finally. Seishi's muffled laughter increased.

Narashi drew in a deep breathe, then said steadily, as if afraid to talk to fast and have to repeat his question, "How come both you and Granddad Kyuubi are like Grandpa Gaara? Was someone else like Grandma Shuka the flower?"

There was an awkward, tense silence as the adults wondered what to tell their grandchild. Seishi, shaking terribly with repressed humor, chewed on her knuckle to keep it in.

The girl overcame herself enough to ask without a hint of cracking in her voice, "I always wanted to know, too, Papa, Otou-sama. Which one of you turned female in order to have me?"

This time the silence was longer, interupted only by the wind rustling against the window and Shukaku fingering the basket brought containing their lunch longingly.

Finally, Gaara and his wife moved, each grabbing a sandwich and eating quietly. Shukaku leaned against her former container and stared at the uncomfortable blonde, uncertain red head and their hilarity consumed daughter. An odd family, true, but close knit. Especially after-

Narashi stared up into eyes exactly like his own, making Naruto even more uncomfortable, obviously so; not that the younger noticed. Kyuubi saw, though, and decided to put an end to the awkwardness.

"I turned female for you, Sei-chan, just like Naruto-kun did for-" He was cut off as a sandwich was shoved into his mouth by a vein popping blonde. He smiled sheepishly before eating the offered food.

Seishi was oblivious to her Otou-sama's almost-revelation, munching on an Onigiri made by her half sister, Narashi's mother.

The lunch was comfortably quiet, with only the sounds of eating and occasional play.

Gaara and Shukaku fed each other, watching Naruto fool around with Narashi from the corner of their eyes. Kyuubi smiled at his mate, staring hard at Seishi now and again, wonder who exactly in their family she took after.

Half way through dinner, a thought hit Seishi, and she once again began laughing. She asked her father, "Should I call you Oka-sama from now on?"

Kyuubi twitched in irritation as the others laughed.

"Only when I'm _female_, Sei-chan," he grumbled at her, grabbing a fruit from the basket.

She gave a fox smile. "OK, then."

-s-s-s-s-s-


	9. Learning Something New

_**Chapter Eight: Learning Something New**_

-s-s-s-s-s-

_A different point of view…_

Mizuki was having a very bad week. And, he concluded later, would continue to have bad ones for the next four years. It was all that demon child's fault, of course. It always was.

First he'd been told that Uzumaki Seishi, that annoying blonde woman who smiled too much, was taking his place as Umino Iruka's secondary teacher. Sure, she was alright, but the newly arrived teen had only been interning for a few weeks!

Then, on his way home that evening to another night of frozen dinners, an orange tabby cat jumped in front of a woman heavy bags full of food. Fruit went rolling everywhere, including under a civilian man's foot, who just happened to be carrying buckets of water on a pole across his shoulders. Being a chunin (and a good one too, if he did say so himself), he dodged both fruit and water, but had forgotten the angered cat.

Covered in cat scratches, mud and fur, he trudged home. The mud came from falling in a ditch after being knocked over a while distracted by the cat.

The next morning, Hokage-sama informed all the teachers and their secondaries that the Kyuubi, currently known as Uzumaki Naruto, attend his cousin and Iruka's class at the start of term. There were general complaints, such as taking a student a year younger than most were accepted at when the year had already begun. No one dared directly voice their hatred of the boy in front of Sandaime for fear of punishment.

Mizuki had never hated the grandfatherly man so much in his life.

During lunch break, while the sensei were voicing contempt for the demon in the comforts of their lounge, Iruka spoke out. He tried to convince his fellows that Naruto wasn't Kyuubi but only the container. They should be thanking the boy for keeping the demon at bay, he said.

Everyone laughed at him, Mizuki included, and went on with their hate filled conversation, ignoring the dejected dolphin named chunin.

Seishi came behind him and offered her partner a drink when conversation lulled. "Konoha shinobi may have a Will of Fire," she commented, staring at the laughing group, "but most have heads as dense as the forests that surround their Village."

Iruka laughed and finally smiled.

Mizuki glared at them, uncomfortable with the exchange. Maybe it was time to say 'yes' to that group's offer and become a spy...

-s-s-s-s-s-

_Ninja Academy…_

Then came the day Naruto was to join the Academy. He shifted nervously as Seishi walked calmly beside him, a comforting hand on his shoulder. He appreciated her support, but his mind still ran rampant with doubts.

When the classroom door opened, all gathered students full silent turned to stare curiously at the eight year old, a year younger than even the youngest in the class. Noticing who it was, however, set most of them on edge.

The blonde felt the hostility directed towards him, and scowled at all glaring down at him from their pyramid-like desks. Their parents, the majority of the students thought, would be mad if they didn't stay away from him as they'd been told. But it would be almost impossible if they shared a classroom.

Two, seated in the back and horizontally across from each other, held no negative feelings for the blonde. Ginjo Tenten, whose family had only called Konoha home for two years, knew nothing of the Kyuubi save what was said in (incorrect) history books. Rock Lee, the lowest scoring of Iruka-sensei's class, was an orphan and outsider from a Fire Country town on the border and therefore had no one to tell him polluting lies.

"Class," Iruka called. Everyone gave their teacher full attention, knowing well his temper already. "We have a new student joining us. Uzumaki Naruto, please introduce yourself."

"Yes, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto said, fox smiling. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage! I love ramen, and am having to have miso tonight!"

Most laughed at the now-dubbed 'baka'. He did too, falling comfortably into his mask of careless cheerfulness. Seishi frowned as she watched him, and silently swore to have his fake smiles replaced by genuine ones by the time he graduated.

"Please take a seat by Hyuuga Neji, Naruto-kun," Seishi cut in. Her cousin nodded and walked to the back middle desk, discreetly jumping the legs stuck out to trip him.

The seat next to the silent Branch member was in between Rock Lee and Tenten's tables, their classmates glaring hatefully at the seemingly oblivious boy. Neji ignored Naruto for the moment, not even sparing him a glance. The blonde huffed and muttered about stuck up brooding no-good loners.

Morning lessons in history and theory went well enough, only interupted by Naruto shouting insults at Neji once. Since Seishi covered physical lessons after lunch, she mostly graded papers while Iruka lectured and (most) students took notes.

During lunch, Naruto ate his 'nee-chan's homemade bento alone. That is, he thought he would. One of his classmates, a black haired girl with twin buns, sat next to him under the shady tree-swing the others avoided because of him.

"Hi, Uzumaki-kun! My name's Tenten. Are you related to Uzumaki-sensei? Is she your sister? Or your mother?" she asked enthusiastically, oblivious to Naruto's bewilderment until he spoke.

"You're... talking to me?" The blonde, confused and uncertain, could only stare at her.

"Yeah. Sorry if I go on and on and on. Otou-san says I talk too much. Do you think so? The other kids said I was a chatter box and ignore me now. Since you're new, I thought we could be friends." She smiled at him.

"Friends...?" he repeated. He smiled truly, mask cracking, and shook the girl's extended hand. "That would be nice, Tenten."

"Good," she agreed, smile becoming even bigger than before. 'I have someone to talk to!'

"I'll call you Naruto-kun, then."

"Only if I can call you Tenten-chan."

"It's a deal."

They continued their conversation, for all it was one-sided, and didn't notice Seishi smiling as she watched. It was nice to see Naruto finally making friends his own age and laughing at something besides himself. She hoped more would join the twosome, and soon. He would need friends and allies in the distant future.

During physical lessons, students were partnered with someone nearest their skill level. Since Naruto had transferred late, he was partnered with the dead last, Lee.

Rock Lee was a very self-conscious person, but gave his all into whatever he did. Since the Rock Clan was known for having little aptitude for chakra, his only option was taijutsu, and he had yet to meet a specialist willing to train him.

Naruto wondered why he had so much hair on both his head and above his eyes. It was kind of creepy to see someone with eyebrows like hairy caterpillars. They seemed to almost move on their own whenever Lee's expression changed.

"I'm Rock Lee, Uzumaki-kun. Do you know what to do?" giant eyebrows asked.

Naruto shook his head 'no'. Though Seishi had shown him a few kata to practice and exorcises that built up certain areas of the body, he didn't know what to do now.

"Right! First, stretches, then thirty sit-ups, twenty push-ups and a run around the track twice. Uzumaki-sensei will show you what to do after that," Lee explained. He began to stretch as Naruto watched and mimicked his movements.

'It sounds tiring,' the Kyuubi carrier thought as he tested his flexibility. 'I hope it gets easer soon.'

-s-s-s-s-s-


	10. Friends gather in unlikely places

_**Chapter Nine: Friends Gather in Unlikely Places**_

-s-s-s-s-s-

**Note: The chapters have been edited. Please go back and read them if you haven't already.  
(or not, since what I changed just makes the story run more smoothly)**

-s-s-s-s-s-

Keywords:

-sempai: Upperclassman; someone above you in an orginazation; your senior

-s-s-s-s-s-

Naruto spent the rest of the afternoon following Lee's enthusiastic example. The dark haired boy was excited to have someone knew to talk to, someone to work with that wouldn't make fun of him, that he was litterally jumping around.

A bit put off by the other boy's energy at first, Naruto warmed up to him when he realized that he was actually _trying, _not just following a teacher's instruction. The other kids always listened to the adults, doing anything they said just because they were older. Those same kids looked down on him, talked about how bad he was or simply ignored him, and to find someone else his own age who didn't have those cold, disregarding eyes, was... undescribable. Heck, maybe Lee would be his friend too!

He'd have to ask, later, when his stomach muschles weren't protesting his twenty-eighth sit-up.

After warm ups came stance practice. Naruto stayed paired with Lee, and under Seishi's undivided instruction, learned the first basic stance.

It felt awkward, at first, to position his body that way. He was used to moving in certain patterns, what he'd picked up from watching others (mainly chuunin, like Iruka-sensei) and taught himself. Having to follow prescribed instruction was hard. But not impossible.

His footing was off, and he lifted his arms too high, and left way too many openings, but for a start, it was a good one.

"Great job, guys!" Seishi said, after a second set of cool-down stretches. "Usagi-san, you need to work on your Crane form, a little too high with the arms. Tenten-chan, don't raise your leg so high when going from Swirling Swords to Turtledove. Neji-san, perfect, as always.

"And Lee-kun! You're working hard. I've seen you improve today. Maybe teaching can help you learn faster!" Lee beamed at her praise. After practice, Uzumaki-sensei critiqued a few, select students. She'd help them next lesson, of course, after they thought about what she'd pointed out.

"Now inside, everybody, so Iruka-sensei can have one last look at you!" Seishi's goodnatured grin was returned by half of the class, the other half having already herded themselves inside for dismissal.

Naruto was one of the former half, grinning, with Lee and Tenten by his side. He had two friends now! (Lee had agree during stance practice, much to Seishi's unneccicary encouragement.)

He entered the classroom, and with his new friends, sat in the back between them. Tenten was chatting Lee up, enthused to find someone that would listen and comment with equal cheerfulness, alebeit rather loudly. Naruto joined in conversation with his own enthusiasm, since the subject was one of his favorite: jutsu. Like when they would learn some.

"Seishi makes me go through the Seals two times every night!" Naruto half-whinned. He knew the benefit from it, but he was still put out that she hadn't taught him any of her awesome jutsu.

"So you are related to Uzumaki-sensei!" Tenten exclaimed.

"Naruto-kun and Uzumaki-sensei are related?" cut in the ever-oblivious Lee. He hadn't paid attention to the blond's last name, too taken by the boy's bright hair and youth. '_He must be another genius, to enter the Academy so young_,' had been his first thought. By his first impression of Naruto-kun, Lee hadn't thought they would be friends. Now he knew better.

"Er, yeah..."

"How? She's your sister, right? She's not old enough to be your mom," she concluded, leaving little room for a reply. "Hey, how old are you again? You entered the Academy early, so me 'n Lee-kun are older than you!"

"I'm eight," Naruto answered, taking advantage of the girl's pause for breathe. "And Seishi is my..." _daughter from the future, wouldn't you know?_ "...cousin. She came to Konoha to take care of me."

'**No daughter of mine,**' Kyuubi commented in the back of his mind. His grumbled denial was ignored.

"Really? That's so sweet!" Tenten clasped her hands together against her chest, looking with glazed eyes to the sceiling.

Naruto scooted destreatly away from her odd sudden girliness, a bit freaked out. Lee looked at her intently, then glanced at the sceiling, wondering what was so interesting up there, and what it had to do with their friend's family situation.

"Class! Attention!" came Iruka's irritated voice from the front. The students straightened in their seats, conversation dulling out. No one wanted a repeated of the last time they had ignored him. The enlarged head of their mildmannered teacher coming at them suddenly and his scolding shouts ringing in their ears was something none of them would ever bring upon themselves willingly.

"Tomorrow's class will begin at the usual time! Please bring your History texts and Theory scrolls, not just your notebooks! We will be cover pages 10 through 14 in Konoha's Past, so please reveiw five through nine! Class is..." students waited in suspence, at the edge of their seats, for Iruka-sensei's next word. "Dismissed!"

A standpede of students drowned out the last silable the word, running feet on the wooden stairings making a thundering 'clomping' noise and bringing up dust. When the dust had cleared, only the middle seat of the back row was still filled.

Naruto blinked in surprise at the abrupt departure of his peers. Lee and Tenten, clearly used to this, gathered their things and headed at a more sedate pace compared to the others down to the front.

"Good bye, Iruka-sensei," they chorused.

Iruka-sensei's eyes crinkled as he smiled and bid them a good evening. Seishi grinned at them and waved them out, promising to see them tomorrow.

Naruto was about to follow them out, ready to wait at the gate or head home by himself, when his caretaker called his name.

"Naruto-kun," Seishi said, causing him to stop and look back in her direction. His hand hovered by the handle to the slidding door, but he let it drop back to rest at his side. "You did good today." _I'm proud of you_, she wanted to say, but with Iruka here (her colleage, Papa's most wonderful teacher who he still thought fondly of), it would be embarrassing for both of them.

His blinding smile was worth it, though he ducked his head to hide it.

"Wait for me outside, OK? I just have to get my stuff."

"OK, Seishi."

"Oh, and Naruto-kun?" He turned back, questioningly. "We'll have Ichiraku tonight."

"Yeah!"

-s-s-s-s-s-

Seishi turned up not five minutes, later, a satchle over her shoulder, and a grin plastered on her face. The other teachers had been saying some things in the breakroom again (did they ever learn?), and she had had to set them straight. No violence, of course, she didn't want to upset Sandaime-sama, but words never hurt anyone, did they?

"Naruto, over here!" she waved.

He was glad the courtyard was nearly disterted, because the grin on her face made him blush in embarrassment. "Seishi," he whinned. "Don't embarrass me!"

"I'm not embarassing you, am I, Naruto-kun?" she asked with a teasing grin. At least she didn't bend down and kiss him on the forehead or something like that. _Then_ he would want the ground to open up and swollow him whole.

"Ichiraku, remember?"

"Right! We need to celebrate your first day at the Academy!" Seishi skipped ahead of him, looking forward to the first class ramen just as much as he was.

"You just want the good stuff," he accused, walking faster to catch up. She slowed her pace to let him.

"Can't accuse me of having bad taste."

"Nope! Ichiraku has the best!" They'd reached the gate, and started down the street in the direction of the ramen stall, walking side by side.

"What kind do you think you'll get?"

"Well, there's this special kind the old man is trying out, with mushrooms and miso-"

"Seishi!" an unfamilar voice called. Turning, Naruto saw three shinobi, two men in chuunin vests and a woman in a jounin's, standing on the road not twenty feet behind them. He hadn't even noticed a pressence, and the blond was good enough to track ANBU when he wanted. (He wouldn't be here if chakra sensing hadn't come naturally.)

"Giro! Saru! Namiashi-sempai!" Seishi explained, a familar grin growing across her face. "I haven't seen you in what, three months? How are the missions going?"

"Well," said the woman in a somewhat formal tone, approaching at a steady walk. The chunin flanked her on either side. "But we miss your skill."

"Oh, I'm sure you're fine without me," Seishi said with complete certainty. "Though those S rankers might do you in."

"Very funny, Sei-chan," spoke up the man to the left, dark haired, with pale skin and an easy grin. His dark eyes, which rested on Seishi, glinted with amusement. "You know we can't take those without you."

"But I didn't do anything! Really, Saru, I'll have you know I like teaching."

"You like babysitting helpless welps?" commented the other man, dark brown hair falling how his eyes. He was big, a tanker, and muscled enough to outwieght an elephant. "I'd think you'd loose your patience."

"I'm teaching the future generation of Konoha's legacy," Seishi said, unperturbed by the large man's slightly mocking tone. "I am happy to 'bear with them'. And a lot of them have tallent!"

"But you know, not all of them can be shinobi," Saru commented. "After all, the test-"

"Saru, enough," commanded the woman, 'Namiashi-sempai'. Saru shut his mouth promptly.

"Seishi, who are these guys?" They knew he was there, obviously, but they were ignoring him. It made him feel uneasy. Everyone acknowleged him at some point, even if only in a cold glance, but to be completely left out...

He didn't like it. Not at all.

As if just remembering his presence, Seishi grinned, eyes still taking in the other ninja. "Naruto-kun, these are members of a team I worked with for a while. You remember, before my reassignment."

Naruto remembered. She hadn't come home, some nights, and other times she's smelled so strongly of blood it had made him naseasous. '_These are the people she was with?_' he wondered. '_They don't look like much. Expect that Giro guy. He looks like he could lift a tree without chakra reenfourcement_.'

'**Oh, he can, brat. And he has enough chakra to run you into the ground**.'

'_Shut up, Kyuubi. Seishi's introducing her friends._'

'**Friends, is it? Hah, I thought you was here for you!**'

'_She is! But that means she can't have friends. It's lonely without friends..._'

'**Something you would know about, isn't that right, kit? If she has friends she doesn't need you!**'

'_Ye-yeah, she does! Shut up, you stupid fox! Go away!_'

'**Just keep telling yourself that, brat. This doesn't interest me anymore.**'

Naruto felt the presence of his furry tenant leave his conscious mind just as Seishi was finishing a sentence. "...Ichiraku, do you want to join us?"

"Sure! You're paying, right?" Saru spoke up, patting his stomach as it made a hungry noise. "We haven't eaten since getting back from Rock."

'_Rock?_' Naruto wondered. Wasn't that far away?

"I don't make as much as I used to. You should be treating, since I was the one who paid last time," Seishi protested.

"That was months ago!"

"And I haven't eaten with you since!"

"I will pay." Seishi's Namiashi-sempai spoke with finality. The two stopped bickering and traded satisfied grins. Maybe they'd planned it all along, to get the jounin to pay...?

Naruto started when Giro came up behind him, startling the boy into jumping. "Let's go boy," the large man said, pushing the blond along with a hand that covered his entire shoulder. "I'm hungry."

"Giro, don't manhandle Naruto-kun," Seishi scolded. "We're just going to eat. And Namiashi's paying, so we can have as much as we want!"

"Uh-huh. And would you have something to do with that?" Looking up, Naruto could see a subtle quirk to the man's mouth. Could the gaint actually have a sense of humor?

Seishi grinned, taking Naruto's hand. "Of course!"

Naruto was led after them by his future-daughter's firm grip, marvelling at the change in his caretaker around these strangers, and feeling vaguely threatened by the new precenses in his life. Kyuubi's words sowed doubt in his mind. '_If Seishi has friends...does she really need me?_'

-s-s-s-s-s-

A/N: A long chapter for your patient waiting... of two years?! U-um. Sorry?

Un-edited chapter. I just didn't think you guys could wait any longer. Hope you enjoyed it! And thanks for all the reviews/favorites-added-ness in the time I've been gone!

**Original Post: 11/19/2007**


	11. Bright Red Preceeds Shadowed Blue

_**Chapter Ten: Bright Red Preceeds Shadowed Blue**_

-s-s-s-s-s-

_Two weeks after coming to the village...  
(Seishi is still on a squad.)_

Coming home in the dark, in the middle of the night; Seishi hoped Naruto-kun was in bed already. He'd waited up the night before, and the night before that, and so on, for her to come hope, just to make sure she was safe. _She_ was supposed to be the one worrying and fretting now, not Naruto-kun!

'_Did I make it worse, by coming back?_' It worried her most, to think of the events leading up to the happy-but-lonely (far) future would be worse by her meddling.

"But Naruto-kun is worth it!" she justified, and the voices in her head needed no more convincing. (Though they whispered, still, sometimes, but she shoved the doubts away and laughed.)

Creeping, slowly, through her own home (_they really needed to get a bigger place..._), Seishi peeked around the corner into Naruto's sleeping space, expecting a drowsing boy to peer blearily back at her. Instead, Naruto slept, curling up on his side in too-big clothes, clutching his blanket around him and murmuring softly something about ramen.

Seishi grinned. '_Sooo cute!_' she thought, and was careful to muffle her squeeing and wiggling with her hands. Restraining herself from diving for the camra, the disguised young woman slipped in the room, making no noise. She didn't want to wake him, now that he was catching up on much needed sleep.

Stepping carefully over scattered books, food wrappers and drawing/writing utensiles, the girl looked at her young father (cousin, brother, now?).

'_I'm fond of him,_' she thought, watching, and she had just realized how much. '_You aren't anything like Papa, Naruto-kun. Naruto-kun is Naruto-kun!_'

And maybe sometime she could make him understand that, too.

**"You're staring."** Growling, tense tones from right next to her. She didn't flinch.

"I'm keeping watch." She was still mad at him, a little, for his cowardice. (But Seishi also understood; for what had happened to him, the prelude, he had a right to fear the snake. That didn't mean she accepted his continued, irrational fear. But then, he didn't know what she knew. Oh, what she knew.)

**"The brat waits for you."** The flaming red chakra form of Kyuubi licked his paw casually, his tails flicking back and forth in repressed irritation. He wasn't happy with her, either.

Seishi kept her gaze fixed on Naruto's sleeping face, noting from the corner of her eye the band of mixed chakra, primarily Kyuubi's, that connected them like some kind of embilical cord. "He shouldn't."

Naruto wasn't supposed to worry. He was should be having fun and completely disregarding her unless he grudgingly needed to ask for something, like most little boys his age. Like Narashi, and the other young cousins she never saw anymore.

**"You should not be here!"** Kyuubi growled, clearly fed up with the small talk. **"Of my Clan or not, you should not exist!"**

Seishi smiled, putting on a teasing tone. "Now, that's not nice! To say I shouldn't exist."

Kyuubi's hatches rose and he bared his fangs at her, snarling, glowing eyes glaring. **"I am not nice! Enough of your imputense! Do you know what you risk by being here?"**

"Seems you've been think, locked up in that cell of yours." She was still smiling, but there was a biting edge to her now, sharp and ready to cut in this battle of words. Kyuubi curled his lips, showing more teeth, and let out a threatening growlish yipping noise; a warning.

Seishi interupted before he could speak. "Oh, I know. The stability of the worlds, that the universe will colapse in on itself from the tiny part I tore to get here." She stalking close to him, illusion unwraviling, showing her own set of fangs. Kyuubi didn't back down, chakra hot with bloodlust and rage. "But it won't. You know why? Because I was careful. Because I knew what I was doing. Because _this is what I was made for_."

A stand off of wills between the two kitsune. Neither would back down, red eyes locked together, daring each other.

Seishi spoke, voice rough with a growl-like quality human vocal cords could not produce, "You are old, Outo-sama. You are wise. But you **don't know everything."**Her form took on an edge, red chakra forming a terrifying aura in her state of rage, mimicking the tales she lacked. He couldn't see how many, but if she was who she claimed to be, there would be more than two.

She spoke like him; she was starting to look like him, but she was not--

**"You are no daughter of mine."** Kyuubi growled one last time, opening his mouth and sinking his teeth into her arm. He felt the pull of the seal; his luxtury time was up. The red chakra compressed in on itself, sinking back into Naruto (who mumbled sleepily and rolled over, still dreaming of swimming in the world's biggest bowl of ramen).

The room became chilly without the firy furry of her father's chakra, her owning dieing down as soon as she'd heard his departing worlds. Seishi winced at the pain and the blood, wiping her arm off on her tight black slacks, the wound already healing, though it would scar.

"I can't believe he..." she mumbled, staring vacantly at the brightening sky over the window above Naruto's bed. She felt like collapsing, but couldn't, wouldn't, in front of Naruto. Even a sleeping Naruto, who would no doubt wake up to her tears if she thought about it any more.

"I guess... I'll make breakfast."

Eggs and bacon sounded nice. Did they have any milk that wasn't bad? She didn't want Naruto-kun getting sick.

(She squashed the pain, let it sit in the back of her mind. "You are no daughter of mine," haunted her nightmares, when she bothered to sleep. She took mission after mission after mission after a while, through herself into her work, killed and saved and guarded all manner of people and things. She still didn't think.

Naruto she came home to, curled up on the couch, shivering, flushed with a fever. She was covered in blood and dirt and sweat; she couldn't raise him like this. Wasn't she meant to make him happy?

She applied for a teaching position the next day.)

-s-s-s-s-s-

Someone was shaking his shoulder. "Wake up, sleepy-head." A kind voice, a gentle hand; his semiconscious mind recognized the fleeting feeling and smiled, mistaking reality for another dream.

"I brought you breakfast! C'mon, wake up and eat!" Cheerful. Loving.

Food was put in front of him. Mindlessly, he devoered, hardly noticing the taste.

He heard a giggle. "Where you that hungry? Oh, well, I'll get you some more." The clatter of plates, and whoever it was was gone.

Sleepy.

Why was he so tired?

**Sleep.**

ZZzzzz...

-s-s-s-s-s-

A/N: If you are wondering: Yes, Kyuubi is planning something.

(though the question wasn't asked:)  
**Why can Kyuubi leave Naruto's body(even in chakra form)?**  
He leeches chakra from Seishi. He can only get out when Seishi is around. This is a hint.

A bit of a wait, yeah? Well, 'least it wasn't two years, right?

Kind of a filler chapter, but it did establish Kyuubi's comment in the former chapter and deepen Seishi's character a bit, ne?

Since you've read, comment, if you please!

**Originally posted: 2/23/2008**


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